About the Opportunity
Leeds Teaching Hospitals is seeking a highly skilled Pharmacy Technician Specialist to join their Clinical Trials Pharmacy team. This is an excellent opportunity for international healthcare professionals looking to relocate to the UK with sponsorship support. As a Band 6 specialist, you’ll play a crucial role in ensuring patient safety, data integrity, and the smooth running of clinical trials across Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
Why Choose Leeds Teaching Hospitals?
Leeds Teaching Hospitals is one of the largest and busiest acute trusts in England, involved in cutting-edge research at all levels. By joining our team, you’ll become part of a supportive, innovative organization making a real impact on patient care and research. We value diversity and welcome skilled professionals from around the world who want to contribute to excellence in UK healthcare.
Visa Sponsorship Information
This position includes a Certificate of Sponsorship, making it an attractive option for international candidates. Leeds Teaching Hospitals is committed to hiring skilled healthcare professionals globally and can support the visa application process for successful candidates. The certificate allows skilled workers to legally work in the UK, and we’ll guide you through the application process.
Key Responsibilities
As a Pharmacy Technician Specialist, you will work independently under the guidance of SOPs, GMP, and COSHH regulations while providing leadership to staff. You’ll deliver high-quality specialist technical services to wards, departments, and outpatient areas, ensuring excellent patient care and service efficiency throughout Leeds Teaching Hospitals.
Leadership and Team Management
You will lead on recruitment, selection, and onboarding of technical staff. Providing line management, appraisal, and ongoing support, you’ll foster a positive, inclusive team culture. Identifying training needs and developing tailored plans, you’ll act as the Key Trainer ensuring all staff are trained in safe working practices.
Clinical Trials Expertise
You’ll take the lead in processing trial amendments, ensuring procedures reflect protocol changes. Your role will involve allocating work, overseeing pharmacy set-up, and managing ongoing trial operations. You’ll champion compliance by collecting and reporting quality and performance data, ensuring trials meet the highest standards.
Collaboration and Communication
Liaising with external Sponsors, research nurses, research assistants, aseptics pharmacy, and the Research & Innovation team will be central to your role. You’ll develop efficient communication channels with the rest of pharmacy to ensure understanding of the service and staff responsibilities.
Person Specification
To be successful in this role, you’ll need to meet several essential criteria regarding qualifications, skills, and experience. Leeds Teaching Hospitals is looking for dedicated professionals who can contribute to our high standards of patient care and research excellence.
Essential Qualifications
Candidates must hold a BTEC in pharmaceutical science or NVQ level 3 in pharmacy services. Additionally, you must be a registrant of or eligible to become a technician registrant of the General Pharmaceutical Council. These qualifications are essential for practicing as a pharmacy technician in the UK.
Essential Skills & Behaviours
You must be able to cope with conflict and handle difficult situations effectively. Working accurately and under pressure is essential, as is strong prioritization skills. These abilities will help you manage the demanding nature of clinical trials pharmacy work within a busy NHS trust.
Essential Experience
Significant post-qualification experience in hospital or industry at Pharmacy Technician higher level is required. You must have experience of training others and demonstrate recruitment & selection skills. Management or supervisory experience of technical and support staff is also essential.
Desirable Attributes
While not essential, GCP certification and supervisory or management qualifications would be advantageous. Good problem-solving skills are desirable, as is experience in managing change, developing and implementing procedures, and performing staff reviews.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must submit your application through the NHS Jobs website. The application process requires you to provide evidence of how you meet the person specification criteria. International candidates should highlight any relevant experience that demonstrates their suitability for working in the UK healthcare system.
Application Requirements
All applicants must include their CV, covering letter, and any relevant qualifications or certificates. You will need to provide proof of your pharmacy technician qualifications and registration status. For international candidates, this should include details of your qualifications and any relevant professional experience.
Visa Application Support
Once your application is successful, Leeds Teaching Hospitals will provide the necessary documentation for your visa application. This includes the Certificate of Sponsorship required for the UK Skilled Worker visa. The employer’s HR team will guide you through the sponsorship process and answer any questions you may have about relocating to the UK.
Benefits of Working with Leeds Teaching Hospitals
We offer a comprehensive benefits package including competitive salary (£38,682 to £46,580 a year), pension scheme, generous annual leave, and access to the NHS Staff Benefits Programme. You’ll also have access to continuous professional development opportunities to enhance your skills and advance your career within the NHS.
Relocation Support
For international candidates relocating to the UK, Leeds Teaching Hospitals can provide information on housing options in Leeds, schools for dependents, and help with the practical aspects of moving to a new country. The trust recognizes the importance of supporting staff through the relocation process to ensure a smooth transition.
Equal Opportunities
Leeds Teaching Hospitals is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from suitably qualified candidates regardless of their race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. The trust is committed to creating a diverse workforce that reflects the communities they serve.
Application Deadline
The closing date for applications is 16 January 2026. Shortlisted candidates will be notified of interview arrangements shortly after this date. Interviews are planned for 30 January 2026. Early application is recommended to allow sufficient time for the visa sponsorship process if you are an international candidate.
Contact Information
For questions about the job, contact Clancy Wedgwood, Lead Technician Clinical Trials, at clancy.wedgwood@nhs.net. Additional information about Leeds Teaching Hospitals and the application process can be found on their website at https://www.leedsth.nhs.uk/. We look forward to welcoming skilled international professionals to our team!